Benjamin Fuente-Alba Vignola (CHI) and Wyn Dulys won the U25 division, Bernardo Kraus Guerra (BRA) riding Cehjur Diamoon won the Junior gold medal, Carlota Meneghel Vilela (BRA) and Champ HR were best in Pre-Juniors, and Gabriela Nagy Kovalski Shoel (BRA) on No Limit Flores won gold in the Children’s division.

The teams from Brazil won an astonishing 11 medals, including five golds, at this year’s championship. Brazil’s team leader, Pedro Paulo Lacerda, commented on his teams’ success.

“We’re very happy with the results here,” he said. “We worked really hard all year to come here. Organizing a trip for 45 kids to come here is difficult and expensive, and on top of that, we work all year round. We hold five tryouts in Brazil and run the national championship using the same rules as the South American championship, all so the children arrive here prepared and familiar with the rules and everything that’s going to happen here. This is something we all share—grooms, veterinarians, trainers—everyone working together to support and help the children.”

Pre-Juniors

The first medals awarded went to the teams in the Pre-Junior division, with Brazil Amarelo team taking the gold on a total of 13.42 penalties. Luisa Lopes Bergamaschi and Chilena Do Adonai led the team with a double clear performance and were joined by Pedro Henrique Brunheroto on Calbreaker BR, Ana Ruth Ramos Mansur with Don Duda Tok, and Bruno Miranda Porto riding HMD Gus. The team from Argentina Blanco received the silver medal, while the Brazil Verde team were bronze.

It was a close finish for the individual gold medal in the Pre-Junior division, but 15-year-old Carlota Meneghel Vilela (BRA) and Champ HR, a 15-year-old gelding, took the top spot with 0.62 penalties after five clear rounds.

“I’m really happy with my achievement; it was the result of a lot of hard work,” admitted Meneghel Vilela. “I didn’t start the year off very well, partly because I didn’t compete in the qualifiers with him; I competed with my other mares, and I didn’t think I’d have the chance to compete in this South American Championship. But then, I guess because things didn’t go very well during the year, I had a reality check, and I started training really hard. I’m really happy with the result. It far exceeded my expectations.”

Bergamaschi was also clear through five rounds with Chilena do Adonai, but a slower time in the first qualifier left them in the silver-medal spot with 1.35 penalties. Santino Comune Correa (ARG) and Comme Ci Comme Ca had four penalties for bronze.

Children

Brazil came home with another team gold medal in the Children division, with two double-clear performances from Gabriela Nagy Kovalski Shoel on No Limit Flores and Laura Freua de Oliviera on Brentana Jmen. They were joined by José Vlademir Valerio de Almeida on Dark Lady Jmen II and Alice Tedesco Gutierrez riding HPH Corada. The Brazil Verde team took silver, and Argentina Celeste won bronze.

Nagy Kovalski Shoel was the only rider to finish clear through all five rounds to win the individual gold medal on zero penalties with No Limits Flores, an 11-year-old BH mare. It was a wonderful early birthday present for the rider who turns 13 on November 3.

Fellow Brazilian Lucas Moura Rabelo and Bonfim Flores won the silver medal on 4.12 penalties, and Santiago Agustin Muñoz Montane (ARG) was the bronze-medal winner with 4.57 penalties on Oreade.

“I’m so happy to be here,” said Nagy Kovalski Shoel. “Just competing in this championship is a victory in itself, and to actually win—that made me even happier. This is my first South American Championship, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d make it, because at the beginning of the year, my mare and I weren’t working well together.

Hopefully there will be many more to come. I’m so happy to be representing Brazil. It was a unique experience. I want to thank my team, my coach, my groom, and everyone so much. And above all, my mare.”

U25

Home country Chile had a strong showing in the Under 25 division and took all three spots on the podium. Benjamin Fuente-Alba Vignola and Wyn Dulys, his 10-year-old stallion, finished with the individual gold medal on 8 penalties. Trinidad Soffia Richard and Cumorka Z had 12.22 penalties for the silver medal, and Emilia Naser Barros rode DV Ruza to the bronze medal with 12.62 penalties.

Fuente-Alba Vignola, who turns 24 on November 5, is no stranger to the FEI South American Championship. This is his fifth time competing at the championship and his fifth medal. He won team bronze and team silver in the Pre-Junior division in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and took home team bronze and individual gold in Young Rider division in 2022.

“It's incredible to win here—I'm so happy for the entire team that's been supporting us behind the scenes, and I'd also like to congratulate the organization,” said Fuente-Alba Vignola, who represented Chile in the 2023 Nations Cup in Wellington, Florida. “I want to thank them for everything they've done, and most importantly, my family, the entire team, and all the students who have stayed with us. So, a big thank you to everyone.”

Juniors

Brazil swept the Junior division individual podium, with 15-year-old Bernardo Kraus Guerra riding Cehjur Diamoon to the gold medal with just 1.74 penalties. The young rider who helped his team to team gold at this event in 2025 was far and away the best of the division this year. Theo Seebacher Branco Jordão was the silver medalist with 16 penalties on Fantastic H2O, while Bruno Dias Cambraia Henriques Costa rode Notting Hill M to the bronze medal with 17.08 penalties.

“I’m really happy about this victory,” said Kraus Guerra, who moved from third to first in the second phase with Cehjur Diamoon, an 11-year-old BH gelding. “I’d like to thank God first, then my dad, my mom, the whole team, Paulinho, and my groom, Júlio. A big hug to Binho, too, for taking such excellent care of the horses back home. I’m so happy about this victory and so happy to be able to represent my country here.”

Team medals were not awarded in the U25 and Junior divisions.